- June 7, 2024
- Posted by: marigone
- Category: Balline
We are thrilled to announce the successful organization of a conference in collaboration with the New Social Initiative – NSI. This event was centered on the findings of our recent research, which delves into the attitudes and perspectives of the Serbian community in Kosovo. Our focus was on understanding their needs, interests, and the current state of service provision.
Highlights of the Conference
The conference was graced by the presence of Carin Lobbezoo, the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Kosovo. Her participation added immense value to the discussions, and we are deeply honored by her contribution.
Key Objectives
Exploration of Community Needs: Our research aims to shed light on the specific needs and interests of the Serbian community in Kosovo.
Service Provision: Assessing the current services available and identifying gaps that need to be addressed.
Community Attitudes and Perspectives: Gaining a deeper understanding of how the Serbian community views their current situation and future prospects.
Key Findings
Our project seeks to thoroughly analyze the viewpoints and sentiments of the Serbian community in Kosovo using quantitative research methods. The main goal is to gather and assess their perspectives on a range of issues that are important to them and relevant to the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo.
Below, we present some of the key findings from our report:
Community Challenges and Issues
Top Daily Concerns: The community’s top three daily concerns are general security/stability (51%), political freedom (43%), and employment/economic conditions (40%), indicating pressing issues for residents.
Corruption: This emerges as the most significant challenge (42%) regarding political freedom and democracy, with concerns about political interventions from both the Kosovo and Serbian governments.
Urban vs. Rural Differences: There are significant variations between urban and rural areas in perceived challenges. For example, corruption is more prevalent in rural areas (49%) compared to urban areas (31%), while urban areas prioritize the lack of proper political representation compared to rural areas (41% vs. 30%).
The Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue
Perceptions of Government Efforts: Respondents express varied perceptions regarding government efforts towards minority groups. There is substantial agreement that dialogue and understanding are widely promoted (61%), but notable concerns exist about barriers to accessing services (68%) and underrepresentation in media (66%).
Primary Stakeholders: The Serbian Orthodox Church emerges as the primary stakeholder for dialogue about the Serbian community’s needs (58%), followed by Serbian political parties from both Kosovo and Serbia (46-44%).
Regional Differences in Mediator Preferences: Preferences for dialogue mediators differ between regions. Urban respondents favor other Kosovo political parties (31%), while rural respondents prioritize political parties in Serbia (59%).
Expectations from the Dialogue: Expectations regarding the impact of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue on relations between Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs show a slight decrease from Wave 1 to Wave 2, with 53% in Wave 1 expecting improvement compared to 48% in Wave 2. Conversely, the percentage of respondents not expecting changes decreased from 43% in Wave 1 to 39% in Wave 2.
Moving Forward
This conference represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to understand and address the needs of the Serbian community in Kosovo. We are committed to continuing this important work and look forward to sharing more insights with you in the near future.
May 23, 2024